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| Koh Tapu AKA James Bond Island |
Travel by long boat to Phang Na Bay, kayak through island caves at Talu Island, enjoy a fresh feast at the Muslim gypsy village on Koh Panyi and visit the Suwanhuka Temple and it's monkey inhabitants all in one day on a James Bond Island Day Tour.
This is one of the most popular tours in the area so be prepared for crowds as this island becomes quite busy even during low tourist season. During peak season queues are inevitable and some boats have had to miss the feast on Koh Panyi entirely. For this reason, the best time of year to join the James Bond Island tour is from May to October (wet/low season). A little rain never hurt anybody.
Dress and pack in preparation keeping in mind that most of the inhabitants are Muslim so respectful dress is appreciated yet there will also be an opportunity for swimming.
PHANG NA BAY
Take in the surreal surroundings as you travel by long boat through Phang Na Bay.
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| Phang Na Bay |
TALU ISLAND
Hop off the boat and into canoes to explore the natural caves at Tahu Island. The canoes are paddled by guides so you can sit back and enjoy the ride. Most of them are funny, friendly and eager to point out their favourite parts of the island. It's suggested to take 20-100 baht in cash to tip the canoe guides.
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| Koh Panyi |
KOH PANYI
Enjoy a delicious lunch time feast in the Muslim gypsy village on Koh Panyi before walking through the fishing village to see how the locals live. Let your tour guide know of your dietary requirements and they will happily provide. I was the only vegan on tour and was given all three platters pictured below! The onion rings, the sweet and sour pineapple, cucumber and tomato and the fried cabbage, carrot and greens fried in soy sauce were more than enough to share with the whole table who also had access to the lunch buffet.
SUWANHUKA TEMPLE
This temple is often referred to as the Monkey Cave as monkeys flock to the cave which houses a golden reclining buddha. This isn't surprising as food is sold in and around the cave to feed to the monkeys who are accustomed to getting up close and personal with eager tourists.
If you wander past the monkeys, past the golden reclining buddha and delve further into the cool damp cave there is a staircase carved into the rock which leads up to the highest point of the cave. This can be quite the safety hazard when it rains and the steep staircase pools with rainwater so please be careful!
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| Suwanhuka Temple |
WEATHER
Dry Season - November to April
Wet Season - May to October
Wet Season - May to October
My family and I visited James Bond Island in July during the wet season. It rained for 10 minutes while we were walking through Koh Panyi which didn't affect the tour as this section was undercover. I like visiting during the "rainy" season though because it means less lines!
Overview
Best time to visit | Dry season for great weather or wet season for less crowds
Must do | Strike a pose in front of James Bond Island and feast at the Muslim gypsy village
Vibe | Busy yet beautiful
Rating | 3.5/5
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| Koh Panyi |
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I keep hoping I'll be able to look back on these travel guide posts on a visit to Thailand one day :) Should print your photos to give me something to work for.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Vanessa :) that's so sweet! I hope you can explore Thailand soon. It's one of my favourite countries.
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